Currently, mobile communication networks, such as 2G (2nd generation mobile communications) and 3G (3rd generation mobile communications) cellular communication networks, are widely available for people to make phone calls and access the Internet, for example. To access those services with UE (User Equipment), such as a mobile phone, a connection needs to be established between the network and UE. In order to establish and maintain connections between UE and the network, the networks apply connection management to the connections. In 3G network, for example, UEs connect to the network via RAN (Radio Access Network) part of the 3G network, which also performs the connection management tasks to the connections with UEs. The connections are managed for example by allocating resources and by defining transmission power levels, modulation and coding schemes to be used.
In 3GPP LTE (Long Term Evolution) development of UTRAN (Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network) the possibility of introducing relays into the RAN has been considered. An overall description of E-UTRAN (Evolved UTRAN) radio access part of the LTE network is provided in TS 36.300 V8.2.0 (2007-09).
When relays are introduced into RAN, such as in E-UTRAN, there are many relaying options and system alternatives to be considered: amplify-and-forward or decode-and-forward type of relays; fixed or mobile relays; single-hop or multi-hop relays; tree or mesh topologies; cooperative or non-cooperative relays; single RAT (Radio Access Technology) or multi-RAT relays. In different usage scenarios for relays, the technologies used in relay nodes may vary. In a relaying scenario with multi-RAT relays, the relays employ several RATs, as one RAT system is relayed over another serving RAT system such as E-UTRAN. An example of multi-RAT relaying is a scenario, where the relayed RAT system over a serving cellular RAT system is WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) offering high-speed local connectivity or Bluetooth® providing slower connection with less distance. Therefore, as relays may employ different technologies with different numbers of connecting UEs, relays may introduce a very high traffic load to the serving network. Consequently, the requirements of the connection between a relay and a network are different than those of the connection between a regular UE device not operating as a relay and a serving network.
When relays are deployed to communication networks, they connect devices indirectly to the network. To enable relaying for the indirectly connected devices, the connection of the relay to the communication network is shared between the devices connecting to the relay. The current connection management in communication networks, however, only takes into consideration the status and control information obtained from the connections of UE devices directly connected to the network, such as connections between UEs and access nodes in the network. However, information from the connections between relays and devices connecting to relays is not currently considered in the connection management of communication networks. This may result in non-optimal connection management between relays and the network, and relays and devices, for example in terms of resource allocation. This may especially apply to configurations that involve mobile relays that connect to the network via air-interface.